The Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing will be hosting a community Open House 9-11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, to showcase the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile (RMCM), a mobile medical and dental clinic that provides health care services to area children.
The goal of the Open House is to introduce the RMCM to current and retired dentists in hopes of gaining new volunteers.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile provided more than $97,000 worth of in-kind medical and dental services to children and youth from birth to age 21 in the Spokane area between July and November 2005. In that same timeframe, more than 570 volunteer hours were logged; however, more volunteers are needed to expand the services to more area children. The RMCM is looking to recruit several more dental volunteers to help expand their preventative dental services. 
The RMCM has visited 36 service sites since July 2005. On Wednesdays at Rogers High School a volunteer dentist, Dr. Peter Joss, along with Eastern Washington University dental hygiene students provide services.
“More volunteers would allow the Care Mobile to go to more sites on a more regular basis and attend to more patients,” said Chris Riebe, Ronald McDonald Care Mobile manager.
The Open House will allow potential volunteers to tour the RMCM, ask questions about volunteering, talk to current staff and volunteers about their experiences, and fill out volunteer paperwork.
“The most in-demand and popular services offered by the Care Mobile are the dental services, including screenings, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and x-rays. The dental program, which is supported by volunteers and funded by grants, and community contributions, has been in place since January of 2004. Restorative dental services were added in July of 2005. Other health related services provided by the Care Mobile include sports physicals, immunizations and well-child exams,” said Riebe. 
The $300,000 state-of-the-art 40-foot mobile pediatric unit is managed and operated by nurse practitioners from the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing. It is equipped with two exam rooms and delivers medical and dental care directly to underserved children in their own neighborhoods such as schools, high traffic business and not-for-profit locations, community centers and select local McDonald’s Restaurants in connection with special events. Services are provided at no charge. The Care Mobile also welcomes walk-ins, although they cannot guarantee an immediate opening.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a community health care outreach service of the Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing and Inland Northwest Health Services and receives support from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane, Spokane McDonald’s Restaurants and several local funding partners. The Care Mobile staff is funded, in part, through a 2002 Health Resources and Services Administration grant for the Basic Nurse Education and Practice Program.
For more information about the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, visit www.spokanecaremobile.org.
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